Wrath's Return
by Deana
Summary: Locknah seeks revenge on Ardeth Bay. Will he get it?


A Mummy story

Wrath's Return

A Mummy story

By Deana Lisi

**What might've happened if Ardeth hadn't killed **

**Lock-nah in 'The Mummy Returns'.**

Disclaimer: I do not own Ardeth Bay, (boo hoo) 

anyone, or anything else from 'The Mummy', but I do own Safti,

and I made up 'Pharaoh Saphanoph'. 

I'd also like to give a massively humongous THANK YOU 

to Xanthia Morgan for not only helping me with ideas (great ones) when I was stuck, 

but for also providing me with the great title!! Thanks a bunch, 'Sister of my Soul'!

"Evy?"

"Huh?" Evy looked up, realized that she'd been staring into space. They'd arrived at their Cairo home the previous night, and had just finished unpacking.

"Evy, he only went away to school," said Rick, watching her.

She sighed, gave him a sheepish smile. "I know. What do you expect, Rick? I'm his mother! I'm _supposed_ to be sad."

Rick smiled, crossed the distance between them, and took her into his arms. "Then I guess I'll have to give you something to be happy about," he said, and kissed her.

Evy giggled as Rick picked her up and carried her to the couch. He sat her on his lap. "Think about it," he said. "Less food to make, no sudden 9-year old yelling, no toys lying around…" he stopped, sighing. He hated to see Alex go, too.

He suddenly felt a punch on his arm.

"Oh, you silly! You miss him as much as I do."

He sighed again, and nodded. "One thing I _do_ look forward to, though."

"What's that?"

"Uninterrupted romance!"

She laughed as he grabbed her roughly, sticking his face in her neck.

"You are the O'Connell's?"

They both jumped at the sound of a stranger's voice. Standing before them was a man in black robes with strange markings on his cheeks and forehead.

A Med-jai.

" 'Uninterrupted', my foot," Evy whispered.

Extricating himself from Evy's grasp, Rick stood.

"Don't you guys ever knock? Did Ardeth send you?" he asked, wondering why Ardeth hadn't come himself, since they'd sent him a letter telling him when they were coming.

A flicker of emotion flashed across the Med-jai's face.

"No," he said.

Evy stood, sensing that something was wrong.

"Has something happened to him?" Rick asked, afraid of the answer. He saw the flicker of emotion again on the warrior, recognized it as…. fear? Sorrow? _Both_.

"He has been taken," the Med-jai told them, with a sigh.

Evy gasped. Ardeth Bay was a strong, fierce warrior, and a competent leader. For him to be overcome by a foe seemed impossible to her.

"Taken? By who? How?"

"There was a battle. Come, I will explain on the way."

They both hurried after him.

******************

"So Lock-nah has held a grudge against Ardeth for a long time?" Evy asked, as they drove through the desert.

The Med-jai nodded. "Since they were very young. Lock-nah aspired to become Chieftain, even though Ardeth was next in line."

"What right did he have?" Rick asked.

"None. He challenged Ardeth to a fight to the death, and lost."

"But he is still alive," said Evy, thinking back to 6 months before, when Lock-nah had kidnapped her in the beginning of the events that lead up to the defeat of the Scorpion King, and for the second time, Imhotep.

"Ardeth did not kill him. He spared his life, and exiled him. It is something he regrets deeply."

"I'll bet," said Rick. "I didn't catch your name, by the way."

The Med-jai looked surprised that he'd neglected to tell them. "I am Ardeth's second-in-command. My name is Safti."

"Softy?" said Rick.

Evy giggled, quickly covered her mouth. 

Safti frowned. "What is funny?"

Evy shook his head. "Nothing. Uh, if Lock-nah wanted to kill Ardeth, why not do it during the battle? Instead of taking him?"

"No way," said Rick, as he drove. "We've seen him in action, Evy. He can't be beaten easily. How'd they manage to get him?"

The Med-jai sighed. "He was wounded in the battle. Lock-nah's men carried him off before I had a chance to stop them."

"Wounded? In what way?" asked a worried Evy.

"I do not know." Safti shook his head. "I did not see." He pounded his fist on the doorframe of the car.

"Hey, now," said Rick. "Renting this thing costed me money, you know."

"Torture, perhaps," Safti said, answering Rick's question. "Lock-nah seeks revenge. I swear, if Ardeth does not kill him, _I_ will."

They rode on in silence for a while, each of them too worried to speak further.

******************

When they arrived at the Med-jai camp, they were greeted by what looked like the whole tribe. Their expressions were nervous, fearful, but Evy could see the hope in their faces as she and Rick entered. 

"Ardeth has spoken often about you," Safti explained.

It amazed Evy, that her —a woman— and Rick —one man— could bring the tribe hope. "I'm sure he exaggerated," she said, with a smile.

"Okay," said Rick. "What's the plan?"

"We have sent out falcons to nearby tribes, hoping that Lock-nah's group has been seen. They should return with answers soon."

As he spoke, a Med-jai came running over to them, with a bird swaying on his shoulder. Evy was surprised that it didn't fall off.

Safti took the small slip of paper, and smiled. "Lock-nah has been spotted." He sighed. "But Ardeth was not seen."

"Where did they see Lock-nah?" Rick asked.

"Northwest of here. It is the direction I sent some of our warriors," Safti said proudly.

"Really?" said Rick. "If they catch up, will they attack and try to get him back?"

The Med-jai nodded. "Lock-nah is outnumbered. We'd won the battle."

Evy saw a look of irony on Safti's face. _How horrible, to win the battle, but lose their leader,_ she thought.

Safti held out his arm, and the falcon jumped onto it. 

"I will send a message to the group I sent, to tell them that we are following."

"'Scuse me." They looked at Evy to see her holding a falcon nearly identical to the other. "Please take this bird...its claws are digging into my skin!"

Safti took the bird from Evy, handing the other back to the other warrior. 

"How'd you do that?" Rick asked Evy.

"I saw the thing coming, and I held out my arm. It looked a lot smaller from far away!"

Ardeth's second-in-command gave a gasp. "They have caught up to them, and await instructions."

"Why didn't they attack?" Rick asked.

"Lock-nah met up with more forces." He turned and looked towards the warriors. "We will follow!"

The rest of the Med-jai cheered; each of them wanting to get a shot at their enemy.

The temporary Med-jai leader smiled at Evy, and stroked the bird's feathers. "Now we know exactly where to go."

******************

Ardeth Bay didn't know how much longer he could remain conscious. He'd slipped in and out more times then he could remember, and he knew that if he went out one more time, it would most likely last. He'd been fighting the darkness for a long time, and he was exhausted. There was a strange fuzziness in his mind; he felt like the battle had been months ago. He could barely remember getting surrounded by some of Lock-nah's men —he couldn't even remember how many— and being attacked by all of them at once.He remembered being slashed, hit on the head, shot…the battle had been well underway when the men had suddenly come out of nowhere, after Ardeth had grown fatigued from the fighting. It was a planned attack, and he'd fought them as best he could, but they'd had him at a serious disadvantage.

Ardeth found himself drifting and forcefully brought himself back, trying to listen to the talk between the men. He realized that he was no longer on a horse, but was lying on the hot sand. He was not aware of having been laid —or, most likely thrown— there. His mouth and throat were so dry, but he didn't dare move, not wanting them to know that he was awake. They spoke around him when they thought he was unconscious, not knowing that he was learning of their plans.

"Lock-nah," he heard. "How much further is it?"

"A few hours," Lock-nah answered, his voice not too far from Ardeth.

"When are you going to kill him?" the other voice asked.

"Not until after he gets to see me rob one of the precious tombs that he protects," Lock-nah said, with a sardonic laugh. 

Ardeth clenched his jaw. 

"I do not think he will last much longer," said The Voice. "See how he does not wake and his blood still runs into the sand. Let me kill him now."

Ardeth heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed, and he tensed. The movement caused intense pain to shoot through his body, especially his right shoulder, the site of a bullet wound. He almost cried out in pain, but somehow managed to stop himself.

Lock-nah and his warrior didn't notice, for Lock-nah had grabbed the other's arm.

"No! Not until we reach the tomb."

The man put his sword away.

"And _I_ will be the one to kill him," Lock-nah said, menacingly.

******************

Evy had flat-out refused to stay behind at the camp, and so she and Rick were speeding along in the car, while the Med-jai warriors galloped beside them.

More birds had returned with messages, and they'd ascertained that Lock-nah had played a game with them, obviously trying to confuse them by taking all kinds of different directions, but it had apparently backfired on him, for the point that Lock-nah was at now wasn't all that far from theirs. Had Lock-nah picked one direction and stayed with it, Ardeth may've been lost to them forever by now.

They spied a lone figure on horseback riding towards them. It was the Med-jai in charge of the warriors sent after their enemy. 

"They are there," the Med-jai pointed. "Beyond that dune. They appear to be going towards Pharaoh Saphanoph's tomb."

"Did you spot Ardeth?" Evy asked.

He nodded. "Yes."

Before Evy got to ask anything else, the Med-jai had galloped off, to the edge of the dune.

She and Rick got out of the car, and went to the edge, where they stood watching Lock-nah's caravan. 

Neither Rick nor Evy could see Ardeth.

"They have him across a horse, at the front," the warrior said. "With Lock-nah."

"And he figured he'd rob a bank on the way, huh?" said Rick, gesturing to a large structure not unlike a pyramid that Evy had barely registered in her mind, she'd been so intent on trying to find their Med-jai friend.

*************

Ardeth was pushed off the horse, and, barely conscious as he was from blood loss, was still awake enough to feel it. He had to bite his lip to prevent himself from crying out in pain. He kept his eyes closed, tried to keep his face expressionless, hoping he could continue to stall.

Lock-nah knelt in front of him. "Wake up, oh Chief," he snarled sarcastically.

He got no response.

Lock-nah looked at Ardeth's face, smiling at the blood and bruises he saw. He stood slowly, and suddenly kicked Ardeth in the ribs.

It was the hardest thing Ardeth had ever done—to try not to react. The pain made his head spin, he was sure he had broken ribs, whether from the attack on the battlefield or from Lock-nah's kick; he was too out-of-it to know.

He heard Lock-nah laugh. Had his face betrayed his feigned unconsciousness?

Lock-nah waited a moment, giving Ardeth a false sense of security, and then he savagely kicked Ardeth's shot shoulder.

Ardeth cried out in agony, before he had a chance to stop himself. He was suddenly grabbed by the throat; held partly off the ground.

"You should've been an actor, Ardeth," Lock-nah snarled.

Ardeth tried to slow his breathing, having extreme difficulty. His chest felt like it was on fire with every breath he took, and Lock-nah's strangle hold was cutting off whatever oxygen he was managing to get. He opened his eyes, stared at his enemy in defiance, but his eyes would not stay open; he tried frantically to blink back the gray forming at the edge of his vision.

Lock-nah saw Ardeth losing his battle with consciousness, and he suddenly let go, letting Ardeth drop painfully to the sand, where he lay gasping.

"You never thought I'd win, did you?" Lock-nah asked him.

"You...won't," Ardeth said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lock-nah smiled at his inability to speak. "I'm not sure if I should finish you off, or let you die slowly on your own," he laughed. "You're halfway there already." 

Ardeth tried to push himself up, to look at his enemy. His right arm —the same one with the bullet in the shoulder— suddenly screamed in fierce pain, he realized that it was broken. He gasped loudly, tried to shift his weight to the other arm but found with some surprise that his hands were tied in front of him. _Had they been all along?_ he thought. _How could I not have noticed? I really AM dying..._

Lock-nah smiled at the pain Ardeth was in. "I made up my mind. I think I'll help you along," he said, kicking him in the ribs again.

Ardeth gasped as what little breath he had was forced out of him. He tried to get his breath back, felt panic when he couldn't. 

He heard Lock-nah laugh again. "Hey, Ardeth," he said, as if they were brothers or something. "You know where we are?"

Ardeth ignored him, concentrating on trying to breathe.

Lock-nah grabbed Ardeth by the throat again, forced him to look.

"Humm, it looks like the tomb of Pharaoh Saphanoph," he said. "You're not doing a very good job protecting it right now, are you? Some Med-jai _you_ are!" He let go, letting Ardeth fall again.

Lock-nah stood, and looked towards his men. He held up his arm as a signal to them to enter the tomb, when his face suddenly registered shock.

Scores of Med-jai suddenly came galloping down a sandy dune, scimitar raised. They attacked Lock-nah's men, while Rick and Safti went for Ardeth.

Lock-nah saw them coming, and turned towards the half-conscious Ardeth, pulling out his sword.

*ping*A bullet sailed past Lock-nah's ear, making him jump and turn in the direction it'd come from. He saw that Rick and Safti were nearly on top of him, and he turned and ran.

*************

"Good shot."

Evy turned to the Med-jai warrior who'd spoken, one of 5 ordered to stay with her on top of the dune.

She gave him a grin, started to reload the rifle. "Thanks, but I missed."

The Med-jai looked puzzled for a minute, before realizing what she'd meant.

*************

Rick dropped next to Ardeth, shocked at his appearance.

"Ardeth? Ardeth, old buddy? _Say_ something!" He felt the pulse on his friend's neck; found it slow and sluggish. Ardeth's body was shaking, shock from the physical trauma setting in. There was blood all over him, and Rick could see he was having difficulty breathing, his face faintly tinged with blue.

Ardeth heard his friend's voice, as if from a distance. He half opened his eyes. "Rick?" he whispered.

Rick was overjoyed to see that Ardeth was conscious, if only barely. "Yeah, buddy. Let's get you outta here." His joy turned to fear when he saw the glassy, detached look in Ardeth's eyes.

Safti had said nothing during this time, allowing the two friends to share the moment. The two of them had been through a lot together through the years, and Safti knew they were like brothers.

They managed to get Ardeth up between them, and held onto him tightly as they tried to get him away from the battle, which was not far from over, Safti noticed, relieved.

Evy had driven the car around the side of the dune, and she screeched it to a halt. Rick got in the back with Ardeth and Safti got in the front.

Evy slammed the gas pedal, and took off.

"How is he?" she asked nervously, stealing glances as she drove.

_Bad,_ Rick thought, _very bad._ "Not good," he admitted, keeping a tight grip on Ardeth while Evy drove like a maniac. 

Safti was turned around in the front seat, facing Rick and Ardeth, a hand on his leader's arm.

"We must stop, and bind his wounds," he said, noting that Ardeth's usually tanned skin was pale. "He has lost much blood."

Evy slammed on the brakes so hard that Rick nearly lost his grip on Ardeth.

"Sorry!" she said, jumping out and running around the car to help them.

They carefully pulled Ardeth out of the car and laid him on the sand. Evy got the bandages while Rick and Safti tried to find where all the blood was coming from.

Rick winced when he saw the horrible bruises across Ardeth's chest and midsection, knowing just from looking that many of his ribs were broken. He knew now why Ardeth was having trouble breathing.

Evy brought them the supplies, and they set about bandaging his shoulder. The minute they touched it, Ardeth winced, then cried out in pain when Safti moved his arm.

"Broken," Rick said, with a sigh.

Safti nodded, shaken that he had caused Ardeth unnecessary pain.

Evy knelt by Ardeth's head. "Shh, it's all right, Ardeth, we found you." She put a hand on his head, smoothed his hair.

He opened his eyes, tried to look at her. His gaze was dull and unfocused. He tried to speak, but she hushed him. "No, Ardeth, save your strength." _What little you have,_ _at least,_ she thought sadly. Looking him over, she sighed at the sight of deep gashes all over his chest and arms. Leaving one hand on Ardeth's head for comfort, she took a piece of cloth and tried to stop the bleeding to the worst of them. 

Ardeth winced, and closed his eyes. 

It took Evy a minute or two to realize that there was something wet on the hand that she'd left resting on Ardeth's head. She gasped when she saw it was blood. "He has a head injury, Rick!" she said, alarmed.

Rick nodded to show her he'd heard, as he and Safti tried to get the bandage as tight around Ardeth's shoulder as they could without causing him _too_ much pain. Rick knew by the look on his friend's face that they weren't very successful. 

"Ev—Evy," Ardeth whispered, eyes still closed. 

She bent close to hear what he was trying to say.

"Can I...have some…water?" he said, voice growing weaker with each word.

She nearly swore aloud, at her stupidity in not offering him some, knowing there was no way Lock-nah had let him have any. She grabbed a canteen, and gently slid an arm under his neck. She looked at Rick, to see that they'd finished with Ardeth's shoulder, and Rick helped her lift Ardeth up enough so he could drink.

"Slowly, Ardeth," Evy said, knowing that he knew that, but not sure just how coherent he was.

He tried to nod at her, to show her he'd heard.

As they laid him back down, Evy was heartbroken at the look of pain on Ardeth's face, not able to imagine the pain of _one_ broken bone, nevermind many at once.

They got him back into the car —Rick at the wheel this time— while Evy held Ardeth in the back. She could hear his painful wheezing, tried to hold him in a position that would be easier on his breathing. He was too tall to lie flat across the back seat, and she knew his ribs had to be in massive pain in the position he was in, lying across her lap, with his head on her shoulder. 

"Ardeth? Are you all right?" she asked, trying to make him more comfortable. 

To her horror, he didn't answer her.

"Ardeth?" she said, more urgently, touching his face, trying to get him to look at her. "Ardeth, open your eyes."

Rick tried to turn his head to see what was wrong, while Safti reached out, and tried to help Evy shift him, without touching his wounded arm and shoulder.

Evy's voice finally reached through to Ardeth, and he opened his eyes slightly. He wasn't able to recognize the worry in her face, the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks, as he could only see her as a blur. Suddenly he was plunged into total darkness.

"RICK!" Evy screamed when Ardeth went limp, and started sliding off her.

He jammed on the brakes, nearly as hard as Evy had done earlier. He turned around and reached for Ardeth's neck, praying he would find a pulse.

He let out a breath. "He's alive. Unconscious."

The tears flowed down Evy's cheeks as she held Ardeth tighter, while Rick sped the rest of the way back to the Med-jai camp.

******************

When they pulled up in the car, scores of people came running. Safti jumped out, yelling something in Arabic, and everyone stood back. Together, Safti and Rick pulled Ardeth out of the car, and the tribe broke into a cheer at seeing their leader alive. It died down when they saw the shape he was in. Rick carried Ardeth into the tent that Safti had opened for him, and he gently laid him down. 

Evy dropped to her knees beside him, while the Med-jai healers came running in. 

"Evy, come on," said Rick, trying to pull her to her feet.

"Rick? No! I have to help," she said, easing the sleeve of Ardeth's robe off his broken arm. 

Rick looked at Safti, who didn't seem to object. They stood there, nervously watching Evy and the healers take care of their friend.

After what seemed like an eternity, they'd finished, having done all that they could. Rick was immensely relieved that Ardeth had remained unconscious while the bullet had been dug out of his shoulder. _The poor guy has enough pain to deal with,_ he thought.

He hardly noticed when Safti left the tent, and started telling the people in Arabic their leader's condition. Rick may not've been able to understand the language, but he could tell by Safti's voice that the news was not good. 

The healers scurried around cleaning their mess, and Rick knelt in the spot next to Ardeth that the healers had vacated. He looked at his wife.

Evy looked stricken, staring down at Ardeth in tears. 

The look on her face scared Rick. He looked at Ardeth, and sighed. The Med-jai was out cold, pale, and very still, his breathing shallow and ragged. He had bandages around his head, chest and shoulder, and his right arm was immobilized in splints. 

Rick looked at his wife again. "Evy?"

The tears spilled down her cheeks. "He…he might not make it, Rick."

Those woods sent an actual physical pain through Rick's chest. "Yes he will," he said, without hesitation. _He has to._

"Rick—he _has_ to," Evy said, unknowingly echoing her husband's thoughts, as she continued to watch Ardeth. "He _has_ to live. He—he's done so much for us, saved our lives. We would've never found Alex, if not for him," she said, referring to when Imhotep had kidnapped their son.

"I know," Rick said. 

Evy sighed, settled in a more comfortable position. She gently felt the pulse on Ardeth's wrist, and after a minute let go, placing her hand on his arm and leaving it there. 

Rick suddenly noticed that it was getting dark. "Why don't you get some sleep, Evy. It's been a rough day."

She made a face. _Sleep? _"Not bloody likely."

Rick had expected that. He reached over Ardeth and took his wife's hand, gave her a little smile. She returned it, and they held each other's hands tightly as they started their night-long vigil.

******************

It was a night that would haunt them for years. Ardeth developed a high fever, and quickly became delirious. The healers tried everything they could think of, but nothing helped. Evy and Rick took turns wiping his face and forehead with cold water, hoping to bring his temperature down, all the while Ardeth muttered and groaned. He didn't move around too much; his body being too weak. At one point the fever was so high that they could feel the heat radiating from his body. 

Evy was scared to death, sure that he could die at any moment. The hours went by without improvement, and as the sun rose Ardeth started crying out in fear of some hallucination. Evy was holding him in her lap, trying to calm him, while Rick continued to try to bring the fever down. 

Suddenly, without warning, Ardeth went limp in Evy's arms, just like what had happened in the car the previous day.

"Oh God, no!" Evy cried, thinking the worst. 

Rick checked his pulse with a shaking hand. "He's alive, Evy, lie him back down."

Safti ran in, having heard Evy's cry. He'd been in and out all night, Rick had heard him talking to his warriors in hushed tones a few times, and he got the feeling that they were planning something, but what?

Safti looked at his chief, and sighed. "Has his fever come down at all?"

Evy wordlessly shook her head.

Safti sighed again, looking upset.

Rick stood, on cramped legs. "I'm gonna stretch my legs, Evy. If you need me..."

She nodded, her eyes never leaving Ardeth.

Rick gestured to Safti to follow, and they both left the tent. Rick was surprised to see the number of people that were already up, standing outside of their tents, staring at them.

"Hardly anyone slept this night," Safti told him. He said a few words in Arabic, reassuring the people that their chief still lived. The people smiled at them and each other.

"You wished to see me?" Safti said to Rick.

"Yeah, I was wondering what's going on, I can tell something's being planned..."

"Yes," Safti said. He hesitated. "It appears that we are not rid of our foe."

Rick frowned. "Huh?"

"Lock-nah's body was not on the battlefield, I have been told."

Rick's jaw dropped. "What?! _Now_ what? Lock-nah can come back here anytime and try to kill him! He won't stop now!"

"I know," Safti agreed. "That is why I must hunt him down."

"You're gonna hunt him down? Personally?"

Safti nodded. "I and some of the men."

"Well, you can count _me_ in," Rick told him. "I'd like to get a piece of this jerk myself, after what he's done."

Safti looked at him for a minute, then smiled. "Ardeth thinks highly of you, American, I can see why."

Rick grinned. "Thanks, 'Softy'!"

*************

"You're WHAT?"

"I'm going with them, Evy."

She sighed. "I know I can't stop you," she whispered, as if her voice would disturb the still unconscious Ardeth. "When you find him, give him a few punches for me, huh?"

Rick nodded. "I will. Don't worry, Evy, he is only one man, and there will be—" he frowned, not sure of the exact number. "—A bunch of us."

Evy smiled, nodding.

As Rick turned, to go, he stopped and said, "If—I mean _when_ he wakes up..."

Evy smiled again. "I know."

Rick quickly went over to her and gave her a kiss.

As their lips parted, he rested his forehead against hers, reluctant to let go.

Evy caressed his face. "Go on. The sooner you leave the sooner you'll be back."

Rick nodded and stood. He took one last look at her and left the tent.

Evy crawled over to the tent opening, and lifted the flap to see her husband mount a horse while a dozen Med-jai waited. She watched as they galloped off towards the hot desert sun.

******************

"Do we even know where we're going?" Rick asked Safti.

"In a way," Safti said. "We sent out the falcons once more, and Lock-nah has not been spotted again."

"So you think he's still at the tomb then?"

"It is possible."

Rick nodded. "Makes sense. He thinks that we wouldn't look there because we would believe he'd try to get as far away from there as he could."

Safti nodded. "We will see."

Rick hoped that Lock-nah _was_ in fact there, so they could get this over with, and then he could return to his wife and friend. _Please, Ardeth,_ he thought, _don't die on me._

******************

It was night when Ardeth finally awoke. His fever had finally come down, some, and the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was a tearful but smiling Evy.

He tried to smile back without it turning into a wince. 

"About time you woke up, sleepyhead," Evy said to him.

He tried to talk; found it difficult. Suddenly he was being held up, and he felt cool water on his lips. He drank it gratefully, and managed to get out a word.

"Evy."

She smiled at him. "How do you feel?"

He used a phrase he'd heard Rick say often. "Don't ask."

The unexpected answer made Evy laugh, despite the seriousness of Ardeth's condition.

"Try not to move around, you have a lot of injuries," she said, as if he didn't know that. 

He nodded slowly, as he counted each one in his mind.

"Rick?" he said, knowing he'd seen him, and wondering where he was now.

"He and Safti went after Lock-nah."

Ardeth's eyebrows shot up.

"He managed to get away somehow, when we rescued you."

He was about to ask something else, but a wave of pain laced through his chest and shoulder, racing down his arm. It left him breathless for a minute. 

Evy grabbed the hand on his good arm when she saw what was happening, and gave it a comforting squeeze. She practically yelled over her shoulder, "Hurry up!"

Ardeth looked beyond her to see that some of the Med-jai healers were mixing some concoction. _I hope it's a good painkiller._

They brought it over, and Evy grabbed it and fed it to him.

Ardeth hoped it would be worth the bad taste. 

After a few minutes the worst of his pain began to subside, more then he expected, and he was able to breathe easier. He opened his eyes, not having realized that he'd closed them. 

Evy broke into a grin when he looked at her.

"Thank God," she said. "I think you're gonna be fine, Ardeth."

******************

Rick, Safti, and the rest of the Med-jai cautiously walked to the opening of the tomb. Safti motioned for some of his men to enter first.

Rick and Safti waited, and a minute later one of them came back out, saying something in Arabic. Rick figured he must've told Safti it was safe to enter, for Safti started walking into the tomb.

Rick followed him in, and was surprised to find that it hadn't been looted. Everything looked to be in place. He and Safti exchanged glances, and continued walking. It got darker and darker inside as they lost the benefit of the sunlight. They took torches off the wall and lit them. As they continued on, Rick half-expected Lock-nah and any surviving men of his to jump out at them.

They searched the entire tomb, and found nothing.

"Maybe he didn't hole up here after all," Rick said.

Safti nodded. "I would agree, but for one thing."

"What's that?"

"Nothing appears to be missing. Why did he not take anything with him?"

Rick surveyed the room, with its fascinating painted walls and hieroglyphics, to the pottery and beautiful artifacts a person could get rich by selling. 

"Good question," Rick replied.

They searched the entire tomb again, still did not find their enemy.

"What do we do now?" Rick asked Safti.

Safti sighed. "Make camp. It is dark by now, tomorrow I shall decide what we must do."

_That must be Med-jai for 'I dunno', _Rick thought. 

******************

Ardeth was asleep and Evy was sitting up by his side, trying to stay awake. She was exhausted, but she wanted to be there if Ardeth needed her. She opened her eyes and looked at him. The concoction the healers had made had put Ardeth to sleep as well as easing his pain, and so far his fever hadn't risen again. Evy truly believed that they had saved him just in time. She couldn't imagine what she would've done if Ardeth had died. _Don't even think about it_, she thought.

Suddenly she sat up straight, with a frown. _What was that noise?_ Her worn out mind wasn't sure if it was real or imagined.

She crawled closer to Ardeth, to check on him. He was sleeping peacefully, but Evy still didn't like the sound of his breathing. She reached out to feel his forehead when the tent flap suddenly flew open. She turned, and gasped.

"Lock-nah!"

Lock-nah stood there, wearing the black robes of the Med-jai instead of the red ones that he usually wore. He gave her an evil grin, and started to raise his scimitar. 

With rage building inside her, Evy suddenly lunged at him, grabbing his arm. Lock-nah was so caught by surprise that he lost his balance and fell back.

Evy started beating the crap out of him, calling him every name in the book as she did it.

After a minute or two Lock-nah got over his surprise and threw her off him. He grabbed his scimitar and stood, raising it over his head.

Evy jumped as a dagger suddenly lodged itself in Lock-nah's shoulder. He screamed, and fell back.

Evy scurried over, and grabbed his scimitar, as Med-jai warriors came running in, having heard Lock-nah's scream. She stood, holding it, and gave Lock-nah a vicious kick in the ribs.

"That's for Ardeth," she said. "Now _you_ know what it feels like!"

Evy went back over to Ardeth as the Med-jai took Lock-nah out of the tent.

Ardeth was looking at her, with an amused expression on his face.

"Got anymore daggers up your sleeve?" she asked.

He smiled. "You are…amazing..." he said.

She smiled. "No I'm not."

"Yes...amazing woman…" he spoke in broken sentences, still very weak. "You fought…Lock-nah." He sounded nervous, as if he was afraid she could've gotten killed.

"I couldn't let him kill you!" she said, "Rick would have my head!" 

He smiled again, closed his eyes. Evy suddenly wondered where he'd gotten the strength to throw the dagger, it must've taken every ounce of energy he had!

"Thank you, Ardeth," she said. "You saved my life." _Again_.

"We're even," he whispered, and fell back to sleep.

******************

Rick was sitting in front of a fire across from Safti, neither of them able to sleep, wondering how Ardeth was.

They suddenly heard a squawk, and a falcon flew down to land on Safti's arm. Surprised, he took out the message, and gasped.

"What?" Rick said, jumping to his feet.

Safti handed it to him, and started yelling to the other Med-jai in Arabic.

Rick's jaw dropped when he read the message.

_Rick —come back, darling, I beat up Lock-nah for you! Evy.P.S. Ardeth is better._

_ _

"'…beat up Lock-nah for you'?" he said, aloud. "Oh man, _Evy_!"

******************

They reached the Med-jai camp just after dawn. The warrior that Safti had left in charge met them a short distance away, and he and Safti conversed in Arabic.

_I really gotta learn that language,_ Rick thought, slightly annoyed.

They rode in, and dismounted. Safti pointed to a tent. "Lock-nah is in there."

Rick quickly strode to the tent, walking between the two Med-jai guarding it. He went in to see Lock-nah tied up on the ground, sitting up.

Lock-nah looked up at him, and even though he was barely conscious from a wound that Rick could see in his shoulder, he still saw a look of shocked recognition on his face.

Rick grabbed him by the front of his robe, hauled him to his feet, and punched him in the face as hard as he could.

Lock-nah fell to the ground in a dazed heap.

Rick stood there with his hands balled into fists, breathing heavily. Rage flowed through his veins, and he wanted to slug him again. He suddenly noticed the bruises on Lock-nah's face. _Did Evy do that?_ he thought,wondering if the stab wound had been her doing also. Concerned now, he quickly left the tent. Safti was outside it, about to come in. Neither of them spoke as they ran to Ardeth's tent.

They went inside to find both Evy and Ardeth asleep, Evy sitting up against a trunk that she had dragged over, her fingers curled around Ardeth's wrist as if she'd fallen asleep while checking his pulse.

Rick smiled at the sight. _That's my Evy._ He studied her face, noting with relief the absence of injuries. He tiptoed over, and knelt next to her. He touched her cheek, and kissed her lightly.

Evy responded with, "Ummm…" and suddenly jumped, opening her eyes.

"Rick! You're back!"

She threw her arms around him, and wouldn't let go. She told him what had happened. "I gave him so many rights he probably wished for a left!" 

Rick was in as much awe of his wife as Ardeth was.

"Amazing," he said.

"That is…what I said," they heard.

Ardeth's eyes were open, and he was smiling at them.

"Ardeth!" said Rick, overcome with happiness. He put a hand on his good arm. "How you feeling, buddy?"

Ardeth started to sigh, but stopped in the middle of it when his chest protested. "I will be all right," he said. He saw his second-in-command standing behind Rick.

"Safti."

Safti came closer, with a smile on his face. It was the first time Rick and Evy had seen him look happy.

"I am pleased that you have returned to us, Ardeth," he said, smiling more. "I hope I led well during your…absence."

Ardeth nodded. "I am alive…and so are my friends," he said, gesturing to Rick and Evy, whose arms were still around each other."As are you." He paused, took a couple more breaths. "Yes, Safti…you led well."

Safti inclined his head in a gesture of gratitude. Ardeth held out his hand and Safti clasped it, their actions saying what words had not.

Evy smiled at Rick, realizing that the two Med-jai were close friends, probably having grown up together.

Someone suddenly called Safti from outside the tent. "I shall return," he said, and left.

Evy hugged Rick tighter, relieved that it was over, and Ardeth was back with them in one piece.

Relatively speaking, that is.

"My friends," Ardeth said. "I owe you many thanks." 

He held out his hand again, and this time Rick clasped it, and Evy put her hand over the both of theirs.

"Anytime, buddy," Rick said. "We could never have saved Alex without you."

Before the happy reunion could continue, Safti came back in.

"Lock-nah has tried to escape."

They all looked at him, alarmed.

"Was anyone hurt?" Ardeth asked.

Safti shook his head. "No, but the people are growing impatient."

Ardeth nodded, slowly. "It will be done. Today."

Safti nodded and left the tent again.

"_What_ will be done?" Rick asked, wondering what they were talking about.

"Lock-nah's…execution."

Evy frowned, puzzled at Ardeth's tone of voice. He didn't sound as glad of the idea as she thought he would. _I wonder why?_

Ardeth was aware of Evy's scrutiny, but he was too worn out from all the talking and fell back to sleep.

******************

Ardeth slept much of the day, awaking late in the afternoon. Rick was there when he awoke; Ardeth could see that Evy was lying down, asleep.

"Hey," said Rick. "How are you doing?"

"All right," Ardeth lied, wishing for more of that bad-tasting painkiller.

Safti came in then, and saw that Ardeth was awake. 

"Ardeth? When do you wish it done?"

Evy sat up; the voices having woke her.

Ardeth saw no point in further delaying the inevitable. "Now. Gather the people."

Safti nodded and went to comply. 

Ardeth looked to his friends. "I will need help."

Rick frowned. "Help? You mean getting up? You _can't_ get up!"

"I must…I am their leader, I must be present…at the execution, at least."

Rick frowned. "'At least'?"

Evy answered Rick, so that Ardeth wouldn't waste any more strength. 

"The Med-jai leader is usually the one to perform the execution, Rick."

"Oh," was all Rick said to that.

Ardeth held his good arm out towards Rick, who went to grab it to pull him up, but Evy blocked him.

"No, Rick! Not like that!"

"Huh?

"He has broken ribs, for goodness sake! You'll do more damage to him that way. You'll have to pick him up—"

"I will not be carried," Ardeth interrupted.

"I know, Ardeth, we can't give Lock-nah the satisfaction," she said with a smile.

Ardeth was amazed that she'd read his mind.

"Rick, you'll have to pick him up and set him on his feet." She looked at Ardeth. "Though, if you can walk I'll be surprised."

_So will I,_ Ardeth thought to himself.

Rick did as his wife had told him, and had to hold Ardeth's good arm tightly as he had a hard time keeping his balance, on wobbly legs.

Evy reached out to him, but couldn't figure out where she could touch him without hurting him.

It took Ardeth a few minutes to compose himself, physically. Standing had made his pain increase, and he couldn't shake the dizziness in his brain. His ribs and arm hurt horribly, and all he wanted to do was lie down again.

"Can we make this quick?" he heard Rick say to someone, sounding concerned.

He opened his eyes, not remembering having closed them. Safti was there, looking worried, with the same predicament as Evy: where to touch him?

Safti nodded, in answer to Rick, and held the tent flap open as Rick helped Ardeth out.

The Med-jai people broke into smiles to see their leader. At the sight of his many injuries their hate for their enemy deepened.

Rick looked for somewhere to sit Ardeth down, but he said:

"I must...remain standing."

Rick made a face at him as if to say, _yeah right, as if you could._ He could see Ardeth turning paler, and could hear the labored breathing that he tried to hide. Rick held onto him tighter, hoping they could hurry this up.

Safti came out of Lock-nah's tent, pushing him out ahead of him.

Evy expected Lock-nah to try to get away, and she looked at the gun in Rick's holster to see that he was resting his hand on it.

Lock-nah stopped where Safti made him, and watched as Safti walked over to Ardeth. He took a step, to run, but was grabbed roughly by two other warriors.

Safti said to Ardeth, "The usual way?"

Ardeth slowly shook his head.

Safti looked surprised for a second, but nodded, and walked back towards their foe.

"Lock-nah!" Ardeth called out.

Lock-nah looked at him.

Ardeth hesitated, but then said something to him in Arabic.

Rick sighed, annoyed again that he couldn't understand.

Lock-nah was silent for a second, before making a short reply.

Evy looked to Ardeth, in shock at what she'd heard. 

Safti then raised his scimitar, and plunged it into Lock-nah's midsection. Lock-nah made no sound, he simply fell to the hot sand and lay, unmoving. Safti knelt beside him and checked for a pulse. There was none.

Evy watched Ardeth instead of the execution. She saw that at the last second, he averted his eyes.

"Rick," Ardeth said softly, his legs not able to hold him any longer. They brought him into the tent and laid him back down. The exhausted Med-jai Chief fell asleep instantly.

"What did they say to each other?" Rick whispered to his wife.

Evy sighed. "Ardeth said: 'I wish it hadn't come to this, my one-time friend.'"

Rick's eyebrows rose. "You're kidding me! They were friends?"

Evy nodded, with a sigh. "I guess so, at _some_ point."

"What was Lock-nah's reply?"

"He said: 'I wish it hadn't either.'"

Now Rick's jaw dropped. "A sudden change of heart? After all he's done?!"

"I don't know. Maybe it was sarcasm; he meant he wishes it hadn't come to _his_ death."

That sounded more like Lock-nah. "I guess we'll never really know," said Rick.

Evy shook her head. "And neither will Ardeth."

******************

Late that night, Evy couldn't sleep, not being able to stop thinking about what had been said between Ardeth and Lock-nah. She left Ardeth's tent and found Safti sitting in front of a fire.She sat next to him and smiled. 

"Looks like you got what you wanted," she said to him.

He looked at her, puzzled. 

"Remember what you said in the car the other day? About if Ardeth didn't kill Lock-nah, you would."

He nodded. "Ah, yes."

She sighed. "Ardeth and Lock-nah were friends? When was that?"

This time Safti sighed. "The three of us grew up together. Ardeth was my best friend, and Lock-nah was...Lock-nah. He was always an unpleasant person. No one liked him, but Ardeth was too nice. He felt bad for him, and befriended him."

"Really? How old were they?"

Safti thought back for a minute. "Ardeth and I were about 10, I think. I am one month older then he; Lock-nah is two years older. But Lock-nah was very immature. If anything, he seemed younger."

Evy nodded, trying to imagine a 10-year-old Ardeth. The mental picture made her smile.

"Lock-nah was cruel, he pretended to be Ardeth's friend because of who Ardeth was: the son of the Med-jai leader. He used their 'friendship', if you could call it that."

"That's sad."

Safti nodded. "Yes. As they grew, Ardeth would hear stories of Lock-nah's doings, and would be afraid to believe them, because of his feelings. He hoped that they weren't true. As I said, Lock-nah was using him."

Evy shook her head. "What did Ardeth do?" 

"Lock-nah then challenged Ardeth to the fight, for the Med-jai leader's title." He sighed, remembering how shocked Ardeth had been at the challenge. "They both received minor wounds. Ardeth won the fight, but because of his feelings spared Lock-nah and exiled him."

"Oh! I'd been wondering why he'd done that instead."

Safti nodded. "He could not kill his 'friend'."

Evy sighed yet again, saddened by the story. "And now that Lock-nah is finally dead, I wonder how Ardeth feels about it."

"We know how he feels. You understood his words to Lock-nah."

Evy nodded. 

"That is also why he had me kill him in the manner that I did. He could not bear to see him beheaded."

Evy didn't tell him that Ardeth hadn't watched the deed. "At least Ardeth is safe now, though." _Until the next crisis, whatever it may be._

"Yes. Finally, our sadiq is safe."

******************

For the next few days, all Ardeth did was sleep. He hardly ate or talked, seeming depressed. They all knew why.

At the moment Rick was sitting next to his sleeping friend, waiting for him to wake up. He was worried about Ardeth's depressed state, as was everyone, but Evy had said not to rush Ardeth into talking about it just yet. A lot had happened to him in the past week, and Evy knew that he had to get himself together before he could talk about it all.

But Rick was impatient, and couldn't wait any longer. He had argued that Ardeth couldn't get better physically if he wasn't all right mentally and emotionally. Evy had been forced to agree with that.

Ardeth suddenly shifted his position slightly, and opened his eyes.

"Hey buddy," Rick said. "How ya feelin'?"

"A little stronger," Ardeth replied.

Rick's eyebrows rose. Ardeth's answers lately had been 'all right' or something to that effect. This time he actually said a real sentence. That was a good sign.

"And how are you dealing with the 'other' pain?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" 

Rick hesitated. "Everything that has happened."

Ardeth lowered his eyes, not answering.

"Evy talked to Safti, he told us about…the past."

Ardeth nodded. "None of this should have happened."

Rick was quiet, hoping that Ardeth would continue. 

He didn't, however. "What bothers you, exactly?" Rick asked. "Talk to me, Ardeth, I'm your friend, I want to help you."

Ardeth looked at Rick, grateful that he cared. He was surprised that it wasn't Evy who'd got him to talk, as he'd expected. Rick obviously beat her to it.

"I think what bothers me the most is how a person could do those things to someone who'd been a friend to them."

"So you feel betrayed," Rick said.

Ardeth nodded.

"Ardeth, you know as well as anyone that there are people out there who live for their own gain," Rick said, feeling like he was talking to Alex. "Lock-nah was one of them."

Ardeth nodded again.

"He didn't care who he hurt, or what he had to do to get what he wanted. He wanted to be the Med-jai leader. He would've done the same thing to anyone, it wasn't against you personally, in a way," he paused, not sure if he was getting across what he was trying to say.

"What I mean is, if someone else was the Med-jai leader, he would've done it to them."

Ardeth nodded. "I understand."

Rick saw that he did, but was obviously still upset at Lock-nah's death. 

"Ardeth, think of all the people you've saved, now."

Ardeth looked at him. "Saved?"

Rick nodded. "Lock-nah was a treacherous man. Think of all the people who won't be hurt or killed now because of his doings —including yourself."

Ardeth nodded, and Rick could see that it made him feel better to know that he'd prevented potential deaths. 

"Think of your tribe, Ardeth, and how many of _your_ people you saved, too."

Ardeth's eyebrows rose, he apparently hadn't thought of that, in his present state.

"You are right," Ardeth said. "Lock-nah was a criminal —a murderer." He remembered how the O'Connell's had nearly gotten killed all too recently because of Lock-nah. They'd _all_ nearly lost their lives—

—Evy _had_, but she'd gotten it back.

The thought made him close his eyes. "I am sorry, my sadiq, after what Lock-nah has done to your family, I am ashamed to have felt that way."

Rick noticed he used the past tense.

"Don't be, Ardeth. We're all human, we all have feelings."

Ardeth smiled. "Thank you, Rick, for being the friend that Lock-nah wasn't."

Rick smiled back.

Suddenly, they heard a sniffle.

Rick reached over to the tent flap and pulled it open to see Evy standing there wiping her eyes. 

"Oh!" she said, startled.

Rick laughed. "Eavesdropping?"

She smiled and came in, tucking a handkerchief into her pocket. "That was so sweet," she said, referring to what she'd heard. She then realized what Rick had said.

"No! I wasn't eavesdropping…well, not intentionally. I was about to come in when I heard you talking, but I waited, so that you could have your talk alone, instead of having to stop because some lowly female barged in."

"Shukran, Evy, that was very considerate of you," Ardeth said.

She looked at him, surprised that he hadn't countered the 'lowly female' bit, but then she saw that he was smiling, so she laughed.

"So do you feel better now, about everything?"

Ardeth nodded. "Yes. I am extremely grateful to you both, for all that you have done."

"You're extremely welcome!" she replied.

"Just try not to get into anymore trouble, huh?" Rick said. "Because we made need you to save _our_ butts again someday."

"Bite your tongue, Rick!" said Evy. "I pray to God that none of us _ever_ needs saving again."

"I second that," said Rick.

"So do I," said Ardeth. "But rest assured that should that time ever come, I will be there."

Evy smiled. "Same goes for us."

******************

The day came that Rick and Evy were to go back to Cairo, after having stayed with the Med-jai for a month, while Ardeth recovered. He was up and around some, still sore and not back to full strength, but definitely improving. 

Evy hugged him carefully, trying not to touch his mending ribs and arm.

"You make sure you take it easy, Ardeth," she said. 

Ardeth smiled. "Do not worry, Evy, I will be good."

She laughed, "You better!"

Rick and Safti were standing a short distance away, watching.

"I do not wish to see you go," Safti said. "Ardeth enjoys you and your wife's presence very much."

Rick nodded. "We enjoy his, too."

"I believe that this is a good time to say 'thank you' for helping save our leader," Safti said.

Rick stuck out his hand, and they shook. "I was happy to help the Med-jai, after all the help they've given me. We worked well together, 'Softy'."

Before Safti could ask him the significance of calling him that, Evy and Ardeth came over, and Evy surprised Safti by hugging him.

"Ma'assalama, Safti!"

"Ma'assalama, Mrs. O'Connell."

"Call me Evy," she said smiling.

He smiled back. "Evy."

"Take care of yourself, Ardeth," said Rick, sticking out his hand. 

"I will," Ardeth said, shaking it. "I must say thank you again."

Rick put his hand on Ardeth's good shoulder, and gave it a squeeze. "Likewise."

Rick and Evy got into the car, and as Rick started it up, Evy called out:

"Remember what I said, Ardeth! 'Cause we're coming back in a few days to check on you!"

Ardeth smiled, and waved as they drove off.

After they disappeared, Safti said, "Ardeth?"

"Yes?"

"I have a question that perhaps you can answer."

Ardeth looked at him. "What is it?"

"Rick kept mispronouncing my name, and whenever he said it, he seemed to think it funny."

"What did he call you?" 

"'Softy'."

"'Softy'?" Ardeth said. He looked at his friend, all 6'5 of huge, muscled, strong desert warrior, and he did the only thing he could in such a situation.

He busted out laughing.

Safti frowned, not understanding it. Ardeth gasped and clutched at his ribs, but kept laughing anyway.

"Ardeth? Are you all right?" Safti said, touching his arm.

Ardeth nodded, trying to stop laughing, hunched over slightly.

"I am all right—ouch!—'Softy'?" He kept laughing.

Someone called Safti then —as he was still acting leader— and he sighed at the bad timing. He looked at Ardeth, who waved his arm as if to say 'go'. Safti tentatively let go of his arm, and Ardeth started to go back to his tent, still chuckling. 

As Safti walked away, he couldn't help but think to himself, _has everyone gone mad?_

THE END

'Ma'assalama' Arabic for 'Goodbye'

'Shukran' Arabic for 'Thank you'

'Sadiq' Arabic for 'Friend'


End file.
